Travel Recap: A Visit to the Set of When Calls The Heart
By Marisa Corser
Did you know that over 40 separate productions, including movies and series, are filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, at any given time? With its diverse scenery, proximity to Los Angeles, and staggering amount of talent, Vancouver is a hotbed for the television and movie industry. But in February, our band of cohorts traveled to the Pacific Northwest for one show—and one show only—the incomparable When Calls The Heart.
In late January, our Facebook and Hearties.com teams received the pinch-me call of a lifetime—an opportunity to tour the set of our favorite show. Not only were we eager to meet the cast and crew who make this stunning show possible, but this was a chance for many of us to meet in person for the very first time. After cultivating friendships across the miles, how sweet it was, at long last, to hug the necks and look into the eyes of hearts you know so well but have never actually seen face-to-face.
Here’s a snapshot recap of our journey, along with photos to mark many of the moments. We hope you enjoy the experience through our eyes.
Thursday, February 19: Travel Day
We flew into Vancouver from locations across the US including Nashville, TN; Harrisburg, PA; Phoenix, AZ; Austin, TX; and Portland, OR. Allyson lives in sunny Florida but she was unable to join us because she was in Des Moines, IA. Brian Bird picked us up at the airport and we got our first glimpses of Vancouver scenery in the van en route to the hotel, The Sutton Place. This is a popular hotel for actors to stay at when they’re in town for filming. We did catch a glimpse of the lovely Kristina Wagner while we were there! After checking in and unwinding, we met Brian for dinner at Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar and had the pleasure of meeting fellow Heartie Meredith McClung Hamlin, owner of Kyser Musical Products. And, we shook hands and chatted with George Zaralidis, Director of Publicity and Social Media for Crown Media Networks! He is a fantastic guy—so energetic and a lot of fun!
Admin Trip to Coal Valley, Feb 2015
Friday, February 20: Set Day
We arrived on set at 7:30, beginning the day with an amazing made-to-order breakfast served by set Tovoli Caterers. Head chef Michael and his team Erik, Dal, and Daryl keep the production team and cast fueled with delicious, healthy meals around the clock.
Fortified, we headed to wardrobe, hair, and makeup to be outfitted for a day in the life of 1910. The talent and graciousness of the production crew is tremendous. Huge hat tip to Director Neill Fearnley, Assistant Director Carl Mason, TAD Slater Johnson, Costumer Erin Kirtay, Cast Driver Seana Henry, Production Manager Simon Richardson, Key PA Tiffany Ainsworth, Extras Wrangler Rachel Taylor, Key Makeup Jennifer Kaminski, Hair Stylists Jennifer Manton and Kara Alaric, Makeup Artist Leah Cuff, and Stills Photographer Eike Schroter—everyone was so accommodating and kind. There aren’t enough adjectives available to describe this outstanding team.
We spent the day watching the action, learning about the filming process, and even had the honor of participating as extras! It was a pleasant surprise to meet, chat, and eat lunch with the talented Jesse Hutch, who, among numerous other popular movie and television roles, currently plays Luke Bailey on Hallmark Channel’s Cedar Cove.
Our team was so grateful for the chance to see the inner workings of When Calls The Heart. What an entirely new and deeper appreciation for our show after witnessing and hearing about the production process. Cast and crew members work tirelessly on their feet for 12 to 14 hours a day, repeatedly running scenes from different angles and perspectives to present the audience with a beautiful sensory feast. The cast and crew, particularly Executive Producer Brian Bird, were so incredibly gracious and accommodating. Kristina Wagner was a pleasure to meet and Pascale Hutton is an absolute darling (yes, really!). It was a treat to speak Lori Loughlin, who is as kind and genuine as she is lovely. Hearing a little of what this show has done for many thousands of people brought tears to her eyes.
We enjoyed a guided tour the Coal Valley mine with Kevin MacInnes, owner of Jamestown Canadian Western Studio and Backlot, where When Calls The Heart films. We got a look at the new church and schoolhouse, checked out the jail, and even hopped on the stagecoach. It was Lori Loughlin’s last day on set and as the filming wrapped for the day, the entire cast and crew crowded into Abigail’s Café to congratulate her and say farewell. It was a poignant moment and we were blessed to be included and witness the team’s genuine affection and appreciation for Lori.
Saturday, February 21: Tourist Day
Following a leisurely brunch at Bellagio Café & Wine Bar we debriefed (i.e. pinched each other to make sure it was real) and talked about how much we love all you Hearties, we hopped on a bus for an afternoon of sightseeing and togetherness at the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Believe it or not, we ran into a Mountie Bear! After seeing the sights, we closed out our perfect day with a pizza and pasta dinner at Pacifico Pizzeria.
Sunday, February 22: Traveled Home
Our merry band of travelers began our return trips home Sunday morning, but our visit left each of us with an enduring impression that will last a lifetime. We are profoundly grateful for When Calls The Heart, the Hearties, and this journey. Here are some sentiments from each of us:
“Being on the When Calls The Heart set was a fascinating and eye-opening experience. You realize very quickly that it takes more than a couple cameras to make a TV show. It requires many talented people many hours to bring the world of Coal Valley to life. I was blown away by it all. #InAwe #Grateful” – Susan Cooper
“You know how great athletes appear to play their game effortlessly? The same is true of a best-in-class production team. On the set of When Calls The Heart, each person understands and fulfills their role with skill, grace, and synergy. Most astounding to me was how grateful they are for the Hearties. The number of people who went out of their way to greet us, say thank you, and offer encouragement was humbling. I’m thinking ‘THEY are grateful to US? Surely it should be the other way around.’ But it is true—we fans mean so much to them and are the reason they work so hard to deliver this perfect pearl of a program. I left the set with a grateful, energized heart, all the more determined to see this show succeed. ” – Marisa Corser
“Having had the pleasure of being on many different production sets, I was struck by how the tone, patience, respect, community, gratefulness, and graciousness of this cast and crew mirror our beloved show. I feel blessed to have been given the chance to see in person the faces filling all the required roles in bringing this show to life. One of my goals was to collect videos from the crew to share with Hearties. Both on and off screen, these folks are top-notch and I returned renewed and even more proud to be a Heartie. My faith in them, our show, and Hearties everywhere is even more unwavering.” – Sheri Lynn DiGiovanna
“Now that I’ve observed a bit the production process, I am amazed by the producers, directors, cast, and crew’s ability to tell such a captivating story, working in scattered pieces as they do. The actors summon emotion again and again in multiple repetitions of a perfectly good scene in order to capture enough footage for editing. At the end of the day, the captured pieces are little more than bits of story gold mined from many hours of hard work. But in faith (because I’ve seen this show on screen), I await the final edits—the magic touch that turns all the hard-won nuggets of gold into a brilliant, heart-tugging masterpiece.” – Camille Eide
“This show is just special, as we fans know. And while my excitement built leading up to our flight like an 8-year-old at Christmas, my not-so-8-year-old self said “lower your expectations.” No need. The cast and crew (oh, the crew!) were not just professional, but kind and generous and attentive. It just makes sense that WCTH’s values of respect, persistence, and the golden rule telegraph so clearly. Plus, to share the trip with these virtual Heartie sisters from across the country in person… pure joy.” – Nikki Getman
“The trip to the WCTH Set was amazing! To look behind the scenes, and to meet the cast and crew was incredible. They were so gracious, and made us feel very special! This show is such a blessing in many ways… and to actually be there and talk with the people that put it all together is something that I will never forget.” – Debi Watson Bailey
“While Susan, Marisa, Camille, Debi, Sheri Lynn, and Nikki were in Vancouver visiting with the WCTH cast and crew on set, I was in Des Moines, IA. Iowa is a happening place: John Wayne’s birthplace, covered bridges, the granddaddy of state fairs, etc. But I digress. Although I was not able to join the group, they made sure I felt like I was with them all the way. They sent pictures and texts and kept me up-to-date the entire weekend. I love them for that. However, they are keeping at least one secret: I still don’t know what they ate for dinner. Yes, really!” – Allyson Lapp
Hello! I would love to travel to Vancover to visit the set and have also considered looking at how to be an extra in wcth! DO you have any info on how I could do this? I would be traveling from Chicago, Il, so any info would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
When Calls the Heart is filmed at Jamestown Movie Set which is part of MacInnes Farms (owned by the MacInnes Family). The set is closed to visitors during filming, which is going on now through the end of the year. The MacInneses do, at times, offer tours of the set when filming is not taking place. For more info, check out their website or check out their Facebook page (Jamestown Movie Set).
Hello… I’m a new fellow heartie from Montreal. My family is doing an across Canada trip and are now in Vancouver. I just saw the sign Langley and remembered that that is where the series of this amazing show is filmed. We are in Burnaby for one day… I know it’s crazy … could anyone direct us to the Langley site ? It would be much appreciated. We I couldn’t afford going to any of the Heartie reunions as its just too far. Please help …. we love the show and strongly believe in all its values morals. Alan and Dana Charette with Olivia David and Samuel
Wonderful account! I heard there will be a hearties party around June 20, 2016 in Vancouver. Is there more info? Any chance my wife and I could visit the set? We are looking to make airline reservations. Any details would be great….. Doug
See http://www.heartieswcth.com/calling-the-shots-in-langleys-jamestown/ for info on visiting langley
Thank you for your detailed accounts of your visits to the WCTH set! I have recently found the show and have watched every episode to catch up! Definitely a Heartie fan here. My dream would be to visit the set as well. I always adored Little House on the Prairie but was never able to visit the set. WCTH has brought new hope for visiting such a set, where a show that brings hope to families, is made. I hope to visit one day soon!
God bless you all!
Thank you so much for sharing this; I wondered who was behind starting the fan “club” (so to speak). How wonderful that you were invited to the set!! 🙂 I truly hope you will all be able to reconvene this coming Saturday…and that Allyson will be there this time, too! 🙂 Will videos of the trip be posted? I’m thinking there will be a Q&A with the cast and crew? Any and all that you can share will be most appreciated!!! 🙂 (BTW, there are those of us who are really low-tech and still aren’t on Facebook + Twitter. So posting anything here is of such value.). Thank you, in advance, as well as for all you have already done! ♥
Thank you for the newsletter, and to all of the cast, crew, producers, directors, and everyone who has worked so tireless on the WCTH set. I am so excited to hear about the trip, and can hardly wait for season 2!